
A man in his 30s launched an apparently unprovoked knife attack in a Seoul store Tuesday evening, killing a woman and injuring another, police said Wednesday.
The suspect, who had been hospitalized with a finger fracture, went into a store in Gangbuk-gu, northern Seoul at around 6 p.m. Footage from a security camera installed outside the store showed a woman fleeing the premises and the suspect running after her about 10 minutes later, catching her and stabbing her again.
The victim, a 60-something-year-old customer at the store, died despite receiving hospital treatment. A store clerk in her 40s also sustained non-critical injuries on the arm.
It was found that the suspect took one of the knives sold at the store to use in the attack. He was drunk at the time of the crime, and did not know either of the victims.
Police arrested the suspect, who was wearing a hospital gown, at the scene of the attack.
Local MBC broadcaster reported that he told police that he carried out the attack because his doctor supposedly tried to hurt him.
"The doctor was trying to harm me so I was about to kill myself. Then I got scared and hurt other people," he was quoted as saying.
Investigators found the suspect's claims to be inconsistent, and is checking to see if he has a history of mental illness. They plan to request an arrest warrant for murder.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com